(Pulaski, PA)…After coming off a successful “Jook George Steel City Classic” event on Saturday at Pittsburgh’s PA Motor Speedway, the Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC RUSH Dirt Late Model Touring Series powered by Pace Performance will continue its busy stretch with events Thursday at McKean County Raceway in East Smethport, Pa. followed by Sunday at Tri-City Raceway Park in Franklin, Pa. for “Manufacturers Night” presented by MSD Performance. Race time is 7:30 p.m. on Thursday and 6 p.m. on Sunday.

Thursday will be a $1,500 to-win Platinum Tour event. This will be the seventh straight year being part of the annual McKean County Fair race. Past winners include Josh Holtgraver (2011), Max Blair (2012), Mike Pegher, Jr. (2013), Bryce Davis (2014), rain (2015), and Jeremy Wonderling (2016). Will there be a sixth different winner in as many events on Thursday night!?

This year, McKean has completed five Sweeney Weekly Series events. Max Blair has won in both of his two starts, while John Waters, Steve LeBarron, and Brad Mesler have also earned victories. McKean has a $1,000 to-win make-up event Weekly Series event on Thursday, September 29 part of opening night of the “Fall Classic” before the $2,500 to-win Sweeney Tour event on September 30-October 1.

“It’s a privilege to again be able to compete at the McKean County Fair,” stated RUSH Director Vicki Emig. “There’s always a great crowd and atmosphere for this event. We always enjoy our trips to McKean and this will serve as the final tune-up for the popular Fall Classic, which is less than two months away. Hopefully Mother Nature cooperates.”

Over the years, Emig has strategically scheduled “Manufacturers Night” at various speedways throughout the region to ensure that all RUSH racers get an opportunity to participate in the event at some point. Sunday marks the sixth annual “Manufacturers Night” presented by MSD Performance. Emig also ensures that each racer at the events walk away with an item valued at the very minimum of $300.

Past locations with car counts in parentheses are Sharon Speedway in 2012 (57), Pittsburgh’s PA Motor Speedway in 2013 (40), McKean County Raceway in 2014 (43), Eriez Speedway in 2015 (47), and a record 58 cars last year at Tri-City. The average car count has been 49! As the Series has grown so has the value of “Manufacturers Night”; the inaugural event in 2012 distributed $20,000; the 2017 edition will exceed over $36,000 in contingencies alone plus the $2,000 to-win “Marquee” Event purse!

The two major $1,000+ prizes Sunday valued include four F3 Tornado Brake Calipers from TBM Brakes ($1,800) and a full custom driver’s suit from Velocita-USA ($1,000). Sylvan Easler, the owner of longtime Series sponsor, Alternative Power Sources, has been involved with Manufacturers Night since its inception in 2012 when it began as just as Late Model event. Easler has annually posted one of the most valuable prizes, a Yamaha generator valued at $2,200. This year, Easler will also expand his product distribution to not only the Late Models, but also the Sportsman Mods
and the Pro Stocks posting three Yamaha Power washers valued at $790 each!

Other companies such as MSD, Holley, FK Rod Ends, Schoenfeld Headers, Lincoln Electric, ARbodies, Jones Racing Products, On Time Body & Graphics, and Classic Ink have stepped up to offer major prizes. The complete list of prizes to date is posted below.

“It has always been my goal to make sure every racer receives a useful and valuable product on this night.” said Emig. “Every racer has the same chance of winning all of the items posted through a random draw. There have been instances over the years where a racer who may not have fared so well in the actual touring event that night left the facility with more value than the driver who actually won the race. It’s really great to see everyone go home with something you know they can utilize in their racing efforts.” ”

“We are blessed with numerous nationally recognized and regional corporate marketing partners who believe not only in RUSH, but the various concepts that have helped us build the Series,” continued Emig. “Being able to award tens of thousands of dollars in actual product via our sponsors directly into the hands of our racers in the long run helps RUSH stay healthy and viable. This concept provides a trickledown effect to all of our RUSH partners, racers, speedways, and of course our sponsors who through everyone’s efforts along with their own continue to have race cars to sell their products to; our Manufacturers Nights simply would not be possible without their support. In fact, this year over $110,000 will be distributed at our Series’ Manufacturers Nights. Winchester will host the new ‘traveling’ MFG Night on Saturday for racers in the Mid-Atlantic Region with over $13,000 of prizes.”

Bryce Davis enters the week with a 14-point lead on defending Sweeney Tour Champion, John Waters. Davis has reeled off six consecutive top five finishes, but has actually been outdone by Waters’ seven straight; however, Davis has beaten Waters at the last four events to build his point lead. Last year’s McKean County Fair winner, Jeremy Wonderling, is touring for the first time and sits third in points with two victories this season. Brian Knowles has taken a one-point lead on his brother Jason in the fourth place battle. Brian Swank, J.J. Mazur, Mike Pegher, Jr., Jamie Wrightsman, Tony White, Eric Wilson, and Kyle Murray complete the top 12 points-paying positions. Thursday’s event at McKean will be a pill draw for heat race starting spots and a redraw for the top so many feature positions with the K&N “Cold Air Induction”

Dash results filling the next four positions. FK Rod Ends “Shock the Clock Qualifying and Beat the Heat” will be utilized on Sunday at Tri-City meaning the fastest qualifier will receive $100 and all heat race winners will earn $25. The K&N “Cold Air Induction” Dash will be run paying a $100 K&N certificate to win, $50 K&N certificate for second with $25 cash for third and fourth place. The K&N Dash will also set the beginning of the 30-lap feature lineup for the top two finishers in the heat races if there are less than five heats or for the heat winners if there are five or more heats. Precise Racing Products will award a $100 gift card for the “Pedal Down” Hard Charger that passes the most cars in the feature each night. The TBM Brakes “Tough Brake of the Night” will award three bottles of Xtreme6 Racing Brake Fluid valued at approximately $45 along with a certificate for a discount off any TBM Brakes purchase.

RUSH Officials will choose the “Maxima Performance” Award each night for a driver that exhibits a performance worthy of such. The winner will receive a free case of either Maxima Semi-Syn High Performance Racing Oil or Maxima Performance Racing Oil of your choice. In addition, the winner will receive one can of SC-1 clear coat, one 16-oz bottle of Maxima Cool-Aide concentrate, one 32-oz quart of Maxima PSF power steering fluid, and a Maxima t-shirt. The value of this prize package is $170!

You do not have to a member of RUSH to compete. The AMB/MyLaps transponders will be used on Sunday. RACEceivers are always mandatory on the default 454.000 channel. There will be a $75 entry fee on Thursday and a $100 entry fee on Sunday. Pit passes are $35 each night ($8 for fair admission and $27 pit passes Thursday).

Pits open early on Thursday with passes going on sale at 4:30 p.m. Warm-ups are slated for approximately 7:10 p.m. followed by racing at 7:30. On Sunday, Pits open at 3 p.m. with warm-ups slated for 5:20 followed by Late Model qualifying at 5:45 and racing at 6. McKean County Raceway is a 1/3-mile dirt track located at the McKean County Fairgrounds in East Smethport, Pa. at the intersections of Route 6 and 46. For more information on McKean County Raceway, check out their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/McKeanCountyFair or their website at www.mckeancountyfair.net.. The fair number is 814-887-5361.

Tri-City Raceway Park is a ½-mile dirt track located at 3430 Route 417, Franklin, PA 16323. For more information, check out their website at www.tricityracewaypark.com or call 814-676-2894 on race day. Like their Facebook by searching Tri-City Raceway Park and follow them on Twitter @TriCityRaceway.

E-mail can be sent to the RUSH Racing Series at info@rushracingseries.com and snail mail to 4368 Route 422, Pulaski, PA 16143. Office phone is 724-964-9300 and fax is 724-964-0604. The RUSH Racing Series website is www.rushracingseries.com. Like our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/rushlatemodels and follow us on Twitter @RUSHLM.

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